Gov. Scott closes all Florida public schools, offices

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (FOX 13) - Governor Rick Scott directed all public K-12 schools, state colleges, state universities and state offices to close Friday, September 8 through Monday, September 11.

The announcement came Thursday evening, just after Hurricane Irma's track shifted slightly west, putting its track up the middle of the state.

Governor Scott said, "Today, I am directing the closure of all public schools, state colleges, state universities and state offices for their normal activities effective Friday through Monday, to ensure we have every space available for sheltering and staging. Floridians are facing a life-threatening storm in Hurricane Irma, and every family must prepare to evacuate. Our state's public schools serve a vital role in our communities as shelters for displaced residents and staging areas for hurricane recovery efforts. Closing public schools, state colleges, state universities and state offices will provide local and state emergency officials the flexibility necessary to support shelter and emergency response efforts."